Marvel Studios is negotiating with screenwriter Jon Spaihts to write the screenplay for a Doctor Strange film that will be directed by Scott Derrickson (see "'Doctor Strange' Director Set"). Spaihts wrote the first draft of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi extravaganza Prometheus and is currently working on a reboot of The Mummy for Universal. Spaihts’ script Passengers, which is currently being developed for Keanu Reeves, made the 2007 "blacklist" of best unproduced screenplays.
Deadline reports that Marvel is “negotiating” with Spaihts, but negotiations must be going well because the scriptwriter went on Twitter to cite the Deadline article and proclaim "Doctor Strange was always my favorite Marvel Hero. It’s a good day."
Deadline also reports that Marvel Studios is fast-tracking the Doctor Strange project, which it hopes will turn into yet another movie franchise. Is Marvel Studios ramping up its film production in the wake of the announcement of an aggressive slate of titles from Warner Bros. and DC (see "Warners DC Film Schedule")? According to Deadline, Marvel Studios already has a short list of actors for the key role of the neurosurgeon-turned-sorcerer that includes The Dark Knight’s Tom Hardy, Star Trek Into Darkness’ Benedict Cumberbatch, and Dallas Buyer’s Club’s Jared Leto.
What sort of a Doctor Strange film will it be? An origin story would certainly make sense for a first Doctor Strange film, and director Scott Derrickson told JoBlo.com "I think when you consider the work that I've done it makes sense that he'd be my favorite comic book character, at least in the Marvel universe. Probably the only comic character in that mainstream world that I'm suited to. I feel such an affinity for the character and the story and the ambition of those comics, especially the original Stan Lee and Steve Ditko ones--I think those are my favorite of all of them."
Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, & Jared Leto on 'Short List' to Play the Doc
Posted by ICv2 on June 19, 2014 @ 8:52 am CT
MORE SHOWBIZ
VIZ, Ize Press, Graphix Dominate the Charts
April 19, 2024
New and evergreen titles from VIZ Media, Ize Press, and Graphix take up almost all the slots in the March Top 20s.
Three-Issue Miniseries to Launch in July 2024
April 19, 2024
The three-issue miniseries will launch in July 2024.
MORE COMICS
Adult Sales Sag; 'Dog Man' Kicks Kids' Sales Higher
April 19, 2024
Sales of the Adult Top 20 were down compared to March 2023, but a new Dog Man release helped bump sales up on the Kids' chart.
Dark Horse to Launch Intergenerational Mystery 'Gilt Frame' in August 2024
April 19, 2024
The intergenerational murder mystery, Gilt Frame, will be published by Dark Horse Comics starting in August 2024.